We Have The Rest of Our Live Ahead of Us
by BobWhite
Summary: I didn't like that Ingrid died, so here's my version of 'Brother's Keeper' where Ingrid doesn't die. R&R 2 find out more.
1. One Week

**Full Summary:**

What if Ingrid didn't get sick and die in 'Brother's Keeper'? What would Matthew and Ingrid's life have been like? How would there wedding have been? How many children would they have had? What would there kids be interested in? This is there story.

**One Week:**

It had been one week since Ingrid had been bitten by Pup. Dr. Mike had said that if she hadn't started showing signs of having the rabies within that one week, she would be fine. It was the longest week of my life, trying to see if my beloved Ingrid had caught the rabies. When the week came and went and Ingrid was still with us, I was finally able to sigh a sigh of relief. My beloved Ingrid was going to live.

Dr. Mike examined Ingrid three days after that one week ended. She was fine. She was going to live. We were happy. But Pup was still out there somewhere and Brian was getting impatient. He wanted his beloved dog back by his side. When we woke up on the fourth morning after that long week, we found Brian gone, the rifle from the fireplace gone as well. He had gone after Pup without telling anyone where he was going. Colleen and Ingrid stayed at the house while Dr. Mike, Sully and I went to look for Brian. We knew that he was feeling guilty for Pup biting Ingrid and must have thought she was going to die. He had gone after Pup knowing that his beloved dog had the rabies but didn't want him to suffer any.

When I finally caught up to Brian, he had the gun pointed at Pup, who was baring his teeth and foaming at the mouth. Brian was crying and unable to shoot him. I took the gun from Brian, but I also was unable to shoot Pup, knowing my little brother was watching. Sully got us around that time and took the gun from my hands and shot Pup while I turned Brian's head away. I held Brian in my arms as he cried for his Pup and then we headed back to the horses. Dr. Mike was waiting next to horses, having stopped the minute she heard the shot. Brian was still in my arms, not wanting to let go for fear of something.

I put Brian on Flash and Dr. Mike got up behind him and we rode home with Brian. Sully had the gun and the minute we came into view of the homestead, Colleen and Ingrid were waiting for us on the porch. Ingrid had some biscuits in her hand for Brian and as soon as the horses were away and we were all headed back to the house, she handed them to Brian, telling him that it wasn't his fault at all. That she didn't blame him for what Pup had done to her and that she was going to live. He nodded, taking the biscuits and going up to his room where he just sat there.

We found him asleep twenty minutes later and took the untouched biscuits back downstairs. Ingrid and I left to go home, I taking Ingrid back to Jon and her sisters first and then myself to the old homestead that Sully had given me. Sleep came inevitably to me and the rest of my family as the night stole the light from us. Tomorrow would be a new day, tomorrow would be the day we finished our wedding plans and got everything ready for Ingrid and her sisters to move in with us.


	2. A New Day

**A New Day:**

**Sully-Quinn Homestead:**

Ingrid and I rode up to the Homestead around noon the next day. Brian was the first one out the door, greeting us as he came. Ingrid was the first to give him a hug and tell him that everything was going to be alright. Ingrid, Brian and I walked into the Homestead as Dr. Mike & Colleen were putting lunch on the table. Ingrid gave Dr. Mike some of her homemade cookies and some biscuits. Jon had there sisters for the day as he would soon be living on his own without his sisters around.

Brian seemed to be doing better than he had yesterday, but time would tell. It seemed he still felt responsible for what happened with Pup and Ingrid but now that Ingrid was going to live, he seemed to know that somehow it wasn't his fault either. Besides, Ingrid didn't blame him and Matthew was actually talking to him again. He had come after him yesterday knowing his little brother had gone after a rabid dog. Once everyone was seated and the prayers were done, the family began dishing out food and starting to talk.

Ingrid wanted to know if the quilting circle would help her with her wedding dress and veil. Dr. Mike said that they would have to talk to them about it but that she didn't see a problem with it. There were smiles all around the table and even Brian joined in asking if he could be the best man. I told him that I would like him to be and that the other men in my wedding would be Sully, Cloud Dancing (if he accepted) and Robert E. I had already asked Sully & Robert E. if they would be my groomsmen, knowing that my brother might want to be my best man. Brian seemed to be all smiles after I told him that he could be my best man, even offered to do the dishes.

**In Town:**

When lunch was over and the dishes and food were put away, we all went out to the orchard and did some yard work. It was Saturday; none of us really had anything to do. Dr. Mike wanted to go into town and get some paperwork done at the clinic as well ask Grace to cater Ingrid's wedding. So after about thirty minutes of working outside, we all went into town and did what we needed in town. Grace accepted the invite to make the wedding dinner. Dr. Mike got some of her paperwork done. Ingrid and Colleen went into Mr. Brays and bought some cloth for the wedding dress and some ingredients for the food that Ingrid wanted to prepare for that nights dinner. Sully, Brian and I said that we would see the girls later and we headed out to the Reservation to talk to Cloud Dancing.

When we got to the Reservation, Cloud Dancing met us at the entrance and we went about our business asking him if he would be in my wedding. He said that he would like to be in the wedding and handed me a wedding present that he had been working on. It was two pairs of moccasins for both Ingrid and I to wear. He said that they can be used to keep the feet warm at night, kind of like a pair of slippers. When we were done on the Reservation and had said our goodbyes, we headed back into town. We had taken the wagon so the girls had no way of getting home.

Ingrid and Colleen were in the clinic with Dr. Mike, having checked out a book from the library and were each reading there own book on the small cot in the main clinic room. When we walked in Dr. Mike looked up from one of her medical journals and both Ingrid and Colleen looked up from there books. When they asked if we were ready to go home, we told them yes. Ingrid would be staying at the Homestead with us that night so we stopped by Jon's tent and told him that she wouldn't be home that night and that we would see him at church. He nodded and said that he would see us tomorrow.

**Sully-Quinn Homestead:**

We headed to the Homestead and as soon as the horses were put in there stalls, we went inside where Ingrid, Colleen and Dr. Mike were busy making that nights supper. Ingrid was making one of her favorite recipes for dessert. It was called 'Mama's Shoe Fly Cake' and I had it once before and thought it was good since it had some molasses in it. As far as I knew, the whole family liked the taste of molasses for some kind of dessert. Colleen was thinking of making some kind of casserole and Brian was even helping with the salad. Dr. Mike had started in on the biscuits as well as the lemonade.

Sully and I sat in the living room talking quietly about the wedding. I was glad that Ingrid was alive and hadn't contracted the rabies from Pup. But I was sad for Brian because Pup had been killed with him in the vicinity. I had tried to shield Brian from seeing it as best I could, but I knew that my little brother still missed his dog. The smell of food was coming from the kitchen and then my sister, brother, fiancée and ma walked into the living room and set the food on the table. Brian had set the table after finishing the salad and was now moving things around so that there was room in the middle for all the food.

Dinner was eaten with everyone trying to talk at the same time. Ingrid had given Grace some recipes for the desserts that she wanted at the reception. Dr. Mike was talking to Colleen and Ingrid about the dress and the bridesmaid gowns and what Ingrid wanted them to look like. Ingrid couldn't make up her mind at that moment, but said she would let them know. Before we knew it, dinner was done and Colleen and Brian were getting up and heading into the kitchen to start the dishes. Ingrid and I picked up the rest of the food and the leftover cake and put them away. Ingrid put a cloth over the cake and said we would take the rest for the Sunday Picnic after church. She said that the fruit would also be a good thing for the picnic.

Dr. Mike and the family now not only packed enough food for them, but also for Ingrid, myself, Jon and there little sisters. We all felt blessed this week knowing that Ingrid could have died and that it could have all ended up way worse than it had. Dr. Mike read from one of her books before I went out to the barn, Colleen, Ingrid and Brian went up stairs to the there rooms and Dr. Mike & Sully went to there rooms. Ingrid was staying in the guest room for now.

We all couldn't wait for the wedding to come. And I knew that Ingrid was wanting the wedding to come as well. We were so prepared we didn't know what to do with ourselves at the moment. We wanted the wedding to be here already.


End file.
